مجموعة ١١١/٢٨ "بلاد فارس. كرمانشاه - يوميّات سياسية." [و‎‎٥] (٧٥١/١٠)

In this way, owing to the complete absence of discipline in the demoralised
Persian army and the general contempt in which soldiers held most of their
officers, the military situation rapidly deteriorated and brigandage increased up
to the time when General Moghaddam left for Tehran.
8. The new general officer commanding (who is styled “Marshal”
— > Shahbakhti) has a big and difficult task ahead of him and has openly referred to
the poor quality of the material from which he expects to raise a volunteer army.
However capable a soldier he himself may be, I have grave doubts of his ability
to organise before next spring an efficient Persian force which will be able to
disarm the tribesmen and brigands in this district in under a year, owing to the
utter inefficiency of most of his officers. Ef, as seems the case, Shahbaknti does
not contemplate taking large-scale military measures for collecting rifles this
autumn, it presumably means that he proposes to allow the present state of
insecurity to continue at least until next spring, for winter operations are not
usually relished by the Persian army Although Shahbakhti has so far given the
impression that he is anxious to collaborate with the British authorities here, it
has been suggested that he is playing for time and keeping one eye warily on the
movements of the German army near Rostov. The possibility should not be
excluded that he, like Moghaddam, fears that a Russian collapse may result in
German armies pouring into Northern Persia, and that he therefore has no
particular desire to identify himself openly as a whole-hearted friend of Britain
by facilitating matters in Persia for the British army of occupation.
(D) Persian Administration.
9. After the departure on the 26th September of Mr. Nikpay, the pro-
British Civil Governor of Kermanshah, a Military Governor (Colonel Nasehi) was
appointed on the grounds that such an official would have wider powers and, by
not having constantly to refer every question to Tehran for decision, would deal
with administrative questions more expeditiously. The inefficient colonel, who,
at General Moghaddam’s suggestion, became Military Governor here, has been
worse than useless, having neither initiative nor administrative experience. In
consequence, local administrative matters have drifted into a terrible muddle,
especially as the problems requiring urgent solutions have been more numerous
and complicated than ever owing to the abnormal conditions prevailing here.
10. Colonel Dombali, the harsh Military Governor of Shahabad, has been
removed from his post, and, whatever sort of official his successor may be, the
change can hardly turn out for the worse and must do a little to increase respect
for us. If only a few more corrupt officials or instruments of the ex-Shah’s policy
of oppression could be “ unstuck,” it would do something to restore a little our
rapidly waning prestige.
(E) Food Situation.
11. Sugar continues to be scarce and very dear. There is a sufficient supply
of wheat, but its high price has caused the price of bread to rise very considerably
during the past two months, provoking a bread riot on the 27th October. As this
incident has already been fully reported upon, it need not be described in this
diary. It suffices to mention in that connexion that a large percentage of the
public here persists in believing that the increased cost of bread and the wheat
shortage are directly attributable to British intervention.
12. Rice supplies are still fairly scanty, but the position with regard to this
commodity has improved: during the past month; the fact that rice is no longer
sold only by the Department of Public Economy, as a monopoly, has given much
satisfaction to the public. Ghee has also risen in price owing to the keen demand
for it from Tehran and to a shortage of it resulting from the unwillingness of
villagers in outlying districts to risk bringing it to Kermanshah through brigand-
infested areas. There is still an acute shortage of cigarettes in this district, and
this has encouraged holders of stocks to overcharge. Meat supplies for the town
have also been smaller during the past two months and prices have risen slightly
in consequence. Owners of live-stock have increasingly been selling their animals
to buyers in Iraq, where higher prices are obtainable for meat on the hoof. The
price of kerosene has during the past three weeks been raised from 1-22 to
1-44 rials per litre, and this increase, which comes into force just at the be«-inning
24-43 B |